Netanyahu Ignores Truce Call, Orders Army To Fight Hezbollah With Full Force

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday his government had not responded to a push by the United States and its allies for a 21-day ceasefire in Israel's fight with Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

"It is an American-French proposal, which the prime minister has not even responded to," said a statement from Netanyahu's office, adding that he had ordered the army "to continue the fighting with full force".

In a separate statement, the military said a tank brigade conducted an exercise "a few kilometres from the Lebanese border... in thicketed, mountainous terrain" on Thursday morning.

"During the exercise, the troops enhanced their operational and logistical readiness for various combat scenarios in enemy territory on the northern front," the statement said.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant also vowed to continue striking Hezbollah.

"We will continue throwing Hezbollah off balance and deepening their loss," he said in a statement issued by his office.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)